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Windows 98 Memory
- Thread starter Sarky78
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #3
We deleted the Temp files from Windows and then it just went all weird and said that the himem.sys was missing, which was nice, somehow the file was in the dam temp directory, or windows just went weird and went on a random deleteing spree.
Defraged and scaned disk already and nothing has changed. The system has got 2GB of free hard disk space, so that should be enough.
Do you know if Windows has got a limit on the amount of physical memory (RAM) that it uses??
Defraged and scaned disk already and nothing has changed. The system has got 2GB of free hard disk space, so that should be enough.
Do you know if Windows has got a limit on the amount of physical memory (RAM) that it uses??
I could be mistaken but I believe the limit is very high... terabytes rather than megabytes.
I am pretty sure your problem isn't coming from insufficient physical memory. Unless the BIOS and Windows are only recognizing a small fraction of the installed memory. Does Windows report 512mb? Check CMOS setup also.
You might try over-riding the virtual memory settings and set the swapfile size to 1024mb. Try that and, if the problem persists, decrease the the swapfile size in 64mb increments until you hit 256mb. If that doesn't work, my guess is that you have a mixture of DIMMs that don't work with the rest of the hardware.
Are they all the same speed? Many variables here....
I am pretty sure your problem isn't coming from insufficient physical memory. Unless the BIOS and Windows are only recognizing a small fraction of the installed memory. Does Windows report 512mb? Check CMOS setup also.
You might try over-riding the virtual memory settings and set the swapfile size to 1024mb. Try that and, if the problem persists, decrease the the swapfile size in 64mb increments until you hit 256mb. If that doesn't work, my guess is that you have a mixture of DIMMs that don't work with the rest of the hardware.
Are they all the same speed? Many variables here....
Easiest fix is to just install windows right over top of itself.
Jim
reboot@pcmech.com
Current moderator at
Staff contributor/moderator at
Windows 9x/ME instructor.
Jim's Modems:
Jim
reboot@pcmech.com
Current moderator at
Staff contributor/moderator at
Windows 9x/ME instructor.
Jim's Modems:
Comtech, could you state the basis for your advice? My experience has been that reinstallation usually propagates existing problems.
- Thread starter
- #7
OK, it amounts to the bytes of RAM left AFTER windows has completely loaded. If you have anything in your autoexec.bat and config.sys, just rem out all the lines.
Try it again.
Don't forget, even today, the base 64k of RAM is where all TSR's get loaded, unless you specify to load them in upper RAM. I suspect you have a sound card driver loading in DOS, and possibly a virus scanner as well. Move them to high RAM, or disable all DOS TSR's and you'll have your system RAM back.
Jim
reboot@pcmech.com
Current moderator at
Staff contributor/moderator at
Windows 9x/ME instructor.
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Try it again.
Don't forget, even today, the base 64k of RAM is where all TSR's get loaded, unless you specify to load them in upper RAM. I suspect you have a sound card driver loading in DOS, and possibly a virus scanner as well. Move them to high RAM, or disable all DOS TSR's and you'll have your system RAM back.
Jim
reboot@pcmech.com
Current moderator at
Staff contributor/moderator at
Windows 9x/ME instructor.
Jim's Modems:
- Thread starter
- #12
sorry, but no we didn't resolve the issue !
we are not sure if it is a hardware fault as we got some new ram and we got the same thing. so it could be a faulty hardware issue or it could just be windows 98's memory handeling capabilities !
hope you have better luck !
we are not sure if it is a hardware fault as we got some new ram and we got the same thing. so it could be a faulty hardware issue or it could just be windows 98's memory handeling capabilities !
hope you have better luck !
if in your bios you have the ability to set agp aperture size lower the limit of memory for the aperture size since windows will think that that memory you set the agp aperture size to is not available thus making your system "think" its run out of memory.
Read somewhere here in another thread that Win9x can only make use of something like 320M of ram. Can't cache any more that or something. Any more can actually cause system slowdowns. You might want to search the threads here or MS Knowledgebase to verify.
Read this thread to get different opinions on the subject:
thread615-213039
Generally speaking, its a flaw associated with Win9x/ME operating systems. They are able to see up to 2GB of RAM, but can only efficiently handle less than 512MB. Like grygst76 briefly mentioned, it has to do with other parts of your system too like the AGP aperture sizes. So, someone with a 32MB or 64MB AGP video card may have more severe problems than someone with an 8MB PCI. Hopefully reading the posts and visiting the links in that other thread will help explain it. I'm currently trying to compile info into a FAQ which should be up soon!
:~/
thread615-213039
Generally speaking, its a flaw associated with Win9x/ME operating systems. They are able to see up to 2GB of RAM, but can only efficiently handle less than 512MB. Like grygst76 briefly mentioned, it has to do with other parts of your system too like the AGP aperture sizes. So, someone with a 32MB or 64MB AGP video card may have more severe problems than someone with an 8MB PCI. Hopefully reading the posts and visiting the links in that other thread will help explain it. I'm currently trying to compile info into a FAQ which should be up soon!
:~/
Actually, windows 98 can only effectivly use around 332mb ram. Anything over that it does become unstable.
Also, deleting the tmp or temp directory in the windows folder will not find all of the tmp files.
The best way to delete the tmp files is to go to start>find>files and folders
in the named type *.tmp and ensure that your hard drive(s) are in the look in and that find is set to look in all sub folders.
Do the search, then delete all of the files and empty the recycling bin.
Also go to the control panel>internet options. About in the middle is Temporary internet files, choose the delete button. In the box that pops up, tick the box for all offline content and hit ok.
If this still does not solve the problem, and you have troubleshooted the ram and it is fine, delete the pagefile.sys on the root directory by booting to the windows98 boot disk. Then reboot. If the swap file, pagefile.sys becomves fragmented or corrupted, it will give you the same errors about not running enough memory.
Also, deleting the tmp or temp directory in the windows folder will not find all of the tmp files.
The best way to delete the tmp files is to go to start>find>files and folders
in the named type *.tmp and ensure that your hard drive(s) are in the look in and that find is set to look in all sub folders.
Do the search, then delete all of the files and empty the recycling bin.
Also go to the control panel>internet options. About in the middle is Temporary internet files, choose the delete button. In the box that pops up, tick the box for all offline content and hit ok.
If this still does not solve the problem, and you have troubleshooted the ram and it is fine, delete the pagefile.sys on the root directory by booting to the windows98 boot disk. Then reboot. If the swap file, pagefile.sys becomves fragmented or corrupted, it will give you the same errors about not running enough memory.
Guest_imported
New member
- Jan 1, 1970
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Reduce your RAM to </=256....Win98 will love you for it.(it's like a Kid in a candy store)
Have you tried System Monitor to determin if there is memory hog (software) on your system?
START> PROGRAMS> ACCESSORIES> SYSTEM TOOLS> SYSTEM MONITOR
You didn't mention if it occurs mostly when you are running a particular program or if this occurs after a few minutes of activity.
--MiggyD
Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that amateurs built the Ark. Professionals built the Titanic.
START> PROGRAMS> ACCESSORIES> SYSTEM TOOLS> SYSTEM MONITOR
You didn't mention if it occurs mostly when you are running a particular program or if this occurs after a few minutes of activity.
--MiggyD
Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that amateurs built the Ark. Professionals built the Titanic.
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